


May You Find Some Comfort Here

by stardustedknuckles



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Polymorph Spell, beauyasha - Freeform, featuring some empire siblings because yes, very light angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27063643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustedknuckles/pseuds/stardustedknuckles
Summary: It took them a while to get everything sorted, but now that they're together, Yasha is all in. She loves to touch Beau for no reason at all, with no expectation, just because she's there.But the thing is, Beau's got some trouble accepting touch with no expectation, and it's eating her because she wants to let Yasha touch her casually. She's just having trouble letting herself enjoy it.And then, a crazy idea.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Beauregard Lionett/Yasha
Comments: 10
Kudos: 187





	May You Find Some Comfort Here

**Author's Note:**

> Woof.

The nein found themselves in yet another dignitary's home in yet another city, negotiating yet another plan that would probably get them all killed or start a war or wind up with a new stray in the group - Yasha had to wonder how warped the stories of their exploits were that people kept asking them to do shit for them. What got left out?

This dignitary was boring in the way a lot of smart people were boring. Not her smart people, the ones that read things and thought that made up for a personality. They read and read and never experienced any of the things they read about, and then made messes they didn't understand.

But this one had a dog.

A big dog.

And it _liked_ her.

This in itself was a common enough experience, though it never failed to startle people the first time they saw it. Yasha got along great with dogs, the bigger the better. This one was huge, and it had great big eyes, and Yasha was more than happy to rub his head while the dignitary talked the nein through what was going on. His eyes, she noticed, kept nervously flicking from the dog to Yasha. She could feel the steel under the dog's fur, and it made her smile. He'd clearly been brought in as a protection factor.

He was also drooling on her knee.

Beau's eyes didn't move from the task at hand, but Yasha saw the way all of her muscles seemed to angle towards her in the way that indicated attention was being paid if you knew her. The flush crawling up from behind her shoulders as she asked all the right questions was interesting indeed.

Veth had no such qualms about looking focused, and she knew Beau, so it was up to Yasha not to let their eyes meet as the halfling squinted between Yasha and Beau.

Yasha's fingers rubbed against something, and she frowned as she gently probed the dog's neck.

"- and I'm sure you can imagine what would happen if…excuse me?" A couple of seconds passed quietly before Yasha felt the weight of eyes on her and looked up to find everyone in the room staring at her.

"Sorry, was I too loud?"

The dignitary blinked at Yasha holding the giant leather collar in her hands. "Loud, what - no, I mean would you please explain why you took off my dog's collar?" He looked from the dog to her. "Or how?"

"Oh," said Yasha. "It was too tight, so I just adjusted it a little for him. I didn't mean to interrupt."

The gnomish man looked incredulously at the rest of the nein.

"She's really good at making guard dogs into puppies!" Veth piped up. Beau's thigh stiffened where it touched Yasha's. Fjord elbowed Veth discreetly as Jester coughed into her hand.

"…I see," said the dignitary. "It has been some time since he let any of us near enough to check. He is often volatile when approached."

The dog looked at Yasha and sighed contentedly. Yasha squished his face and he sneezed before returning his head to her knee.

"Back to business," Beau said, and there was a sharpness to her voice that alerted Yasha immediately. She watched Beau furtively through the rest of the (short) negotiations, but she hadn't quite figured it out by the time they left the estate.

She waited until they were walking back from the teleportation circle to sidle up to Beau, who glared at her. Yasha knew her well enough to see the defensiveness for what it was. Something had set Beau off. Nothing large, but the wheels were turning and Yasha had less than an inkling what would come from it.

"Not right now, Yash."

Yasha wanted to smooth the tension from the lines in Beau's brow, but she could tell this was not the right time. "I was not going to ask."

Some of the tension slipped out of Beau's shoulders, only to ram back up to her ears when Veth called, "She's just mad you were petting the dog and not her!" She cackled and bolted from Fjord and scrambled up Caleb's shoulder. His face was slightly pink and he spoke softly to her in what Yasha gathered to be an equally exasperated and amused tone.

Beau caught her staring, and Yasha knew there was a smile she wasn't quite keeping hidden. Beau saw it too and scowled harder. She jumped when Yasha bumped their fingers together just a little and relaxed when Yasha didn't press any further. Beau was not a creature accustomed to affection, and though she tried for Yasha's sake a lifelong justified suspicion of touch did not go away so soon.

After a moment, once she was sure she had the option to say no, Beau's fingers reached back out just enough to touch Yasha's. Beau didn't look at her, but her face colored just a little when Yasha smiled contentedly.

****************************

In the hot tub, Beau was half asleep with Yasha's arm around her, lulled by the heat on her muscles and the finger Yasha traced over her upper arm in a soothing motion.

"Veth wasn't all wrong," Beau finally mumbled, rousing Yasha from the half-doze she'd slipped into.

"Hmm?"

Beau shifted. "About the dog."

Yasha blinked. There was weight in Beau's words, but she was just as lost now as she was when they had left. She chose her reply carefully, slipping easily into the routine that was maneuvering Beau's hair-trigger defenses. "I don't follow."

Beau rolled her head up to look at her better. "I did like how you were petting him."

There was no mistaking the meaning, but there was something Yasha knew she still wasn't grasping. "I would be happy to pet you," she said, the end coming up slightly in a question. Beau huffed, and Yasha tried again. "I can tell you're trying to tell me something, Beau," she soothed. "I just don't see the difference between scratching a dog behind the ears or scratching you."

The mistrustful look smoothed from Beau. "The difference is the dog is too dumb to think itself to death about…like, being pet. Affection. It doesn't have to have three beers before it'll let you scratch it."

Yasha pulled back to look at her. "You're still worried it bothers me."

Beau frowned. "It's more complicated than that." Yasha reached up and smoothed away the line that appeared. "Like that," Beau said. "You _like_ to touch me."

"I can't argue with that," Yasha agreed. "I like to touch you very much."

"I haven't figured out what to do with that," Beau said. "You don't even do it cuz you're horny. Hugs from Jester are fine and wrestling with Fjord is great, but it's just. They don't touch me like you do."

"Like you're important and I'm glad to have you around?" Beau blushed furiously. Yasha considered. "Is it something you would like me to stop?"

"No!" she said immediately, eyes widening. Yasha reached up and stroked the base of Beau's neck until she sighed and relaxed into her. "I really like that," she said. "It's just something I can't seem to get used to." She lifted fingers as she spoke. "People touch me because they want my money, my ass, or my fist in their face."

"You can keep your money," Yasha said seriously, and she giggled when Beau splashed at her in mock aggravation.

They sat in silence for a few contented moments. When Beau spoke again, her voice was quiet. "I want to let you, you know. It's just hard being a fucked up human. I don't know how to deal with being…treasured." She sighed as Yasha wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close. "Gods, it even sounds sappy to say out loud. It'd be easier if I was a fucking dog," she said.

Yasha huffed into her hair. "We have at least two wizards capable of making that a reality," she said, smiling. "I wouldn't tempt fate."

"Haha, yeah," Beau replied.

There was a beat.

"Huh," Beau said softly.

****************

Caleb didn't look up from his book when Beau tapped on the door in the way she clearly thought was discreet. "Ja?"

Beau slipped in, looking what Caleb might generously skip over peaked and call flushed instead. "Hey, I uh…have a favor to ask."

"If you and Yasha broke another dildo, tough shit."

Beau waved him off. "No, not that. I need a polymorph." She watched him process. "Dog," she added. "Big?"

Caleb had always suspected that Beau got a weird thrill out of watching him slowly dissolve in chagrin, but now he knew it had to be true. " _Was_ ," he said flatly, not bothering to translate.

"Not for anything weird," Beau insisted, and then she grew thoughtful. "Well…not like that."

"Beauregard."

"I would have asked Jester but Veth's in her room and she would never, _ever_ let me hear the end of it and if she finds out I will kill you in your sleep."

Caleb closed his eyes and sighed. "I am a very light sleeper, Beau, but more to the point I do not care so much about the why of it." He opened one eye. "Wait, Veth was right?" Few things gratified him more than winding up one Beauregard Lionett in very specific ways. It was even more gratifying when he did it accidentally. He fell back laughing as she vaulted across his room to slug his shoulder hard enough to make a point (but never enough to bruise).

"Fucking yes or no, man," Beau demanded.

Caleb wiped tears out of his eyes. "Ja," he said. "Ja, I can do that for you. Did you have a breed in mind?"

"I…no. I wasn't sure I would get this far."

"You thought I would pass up the chance to turn one of the smartest assholes I have ever met into a furry four-legged beast? Because she wants pets?"

"I hate you."

"Okay, okay." Caleb held up his hands. "I will turn you into a dog - even the kind you say you want, but!" Beau glared daggers at him - "I want to pet you before you go." Beau opened her mouth to protest and he cut her off. "Beauregard, I have been many animals and I am telling you, this is a much more objectionable request as a human than it will be as a dog."

She set her jaw and looked at the floor. "Yeah that's kinda the point. Fine. Five seconds. Big dog. Like the one from today."

He nodded solemnly because he knew it would make her mad. She glared at him. "Alright, sit still," he said. He began tracing his hands in the air, arcane symbols appearing and disappearing rapidly before him. "I should write a book," he muttered, and released.

The Rottweiler at the end of his bed shook itself all over and looked around, confused. Caleb called Beau's name and it looked at him with curiosity. He called her again. She padded over cautiously and sniffed his outstretched hand. "Please do not bite me," Caleb requested, and then he tentatively scratched her behind the ears. The great big dog groaned and moved closer, its tiny stump of a tail wiggling contentedly. "I think I am glad I did this," Caleb mused. Beau looked up at him. "I know you can understand me," he said. "Thank you for this bizarre and not at all traumatic experience. Now go find Yasha." Beau's ears perked, and then her paws scrabbled on the wooden floor before dumping her on her face with a thump. "Better hurry or Veth will hear," he whispered.

Beau the Rottweiler shot out of the room and down the hall.

****************

Yasha was less than certain how one prepared for her girlfriend to come back into a shared room as a dog, so she sat at the end of the bed and waited with her hands in her lap. If she was being honest, this didn't hit very high on her personal weird scale. There was an easy logic to the train of thought that had led them here, and she was fine with that.

But it was weird that they had done this for her. She wanted to touch Beau freely, affectionately, make her feel seen and loved in every moment - not just the ones that involved sex, as good as that was. She wanted nothing more than to pick Beau up and hold her without Beau automatically working through what she could or felt she should give in return.

The sound of mails on wood in the hallway alerted her, and a moment later the door was swung wide as 70 pounds of black and brown dog dashed into the room, spun in a circle, and then dropped into a play bow, head on the floor and tail stump waving happily in the air. "Oh, hello!" Yasha said delightedly, reaching out to push the door shut again with her foot. "How are you feeling?"

Beau turned another circle and gave a low, restrained "woof." Delighted, Yasha patted the bed next to her. Beau leaped up and began licking her face eagerly, wiggling all over as Yasha scratched at her ribs and behind her ears, giggling all the while. She pushed Beau off of her face and onto the bed, where she rolled happily with all four massive paws waving in the air. Yasha rubbed her chest obligingly and smiled as one of Beau's back paws began kicking. "I think this was a great idea," she said, unable to resist repeating it in the voice she reserved for dogs who were not also her second love making a wild effort to make her feel good.

Maybe this should rank a little higher on her weird scale. But who cared? Beau was here, and she was unreservedly and wholly delighted to let her scratch her belly and call her a good girl. Maybe Beau would go back to being human with a better idea of how to let her guard down. Maybe they would never speak of it again. But for now, she was here and she felt like an undercut all over, and she was more than able and willing to accept the affection Yasha had to provide. She kissed Beau's cool, damp nose and giggled when a long pink tongue snaked out to clear away the spot. It was not so hard to imagine Beau one day coming to unwind enough as a human to let her hold her hand or link their arms or kiss her on the cheek in the middle of the day. But it was now, and she had less than hour to release months of pent-up affection before any of that became a concern.

"Who's a good girl?" she asked, and Beau the dog gave a joyful bark.

Hopefully Veth hadn't heard.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan
> 
> ...get it?


End file.
